[Factors associated with the self-rated health of elderly frequenters of low-budget community restaurants in Belo Horizonte]

Evaluation of Community Restaurants Linked to Government Food and Nutrition Safety Programs: A Scope Review

Community restaurants linked to government food and nutritional security programs are establishments created to offer meals to the population in socially vulnerable situations. The objective was to identify the methods, approaches, criteria, and indicators used to evaluate restaurants linked to government food and nutrition security programs. A scoping review based on the Joanna Briggs Institute's methodology and the international guide's recommendations of preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews was conducted. Medline databases via PubMed, Lilacs, Scopus, Cochrane, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect were used. Primary observational studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, ethnographies, documentary studies, and case studies were included, with a quantitative, qualitative, and/or mixed approach. A total of 2498 studies were identified. After taking out 180 duplicated articles, another 2202 articles were excluded by the title. Among the 71 studies selected for complete reading, 10 did not correlate with the research objective, and 12 were included after analyzing the references, totaling 73 included studies. In this review, evaluative approaches were mapped and systematized on the menu, food consumption, food health, food security and/or insecurity, nutritional education, and human right to adequate food; users' profile and health, implantation, history, perceptions, senses, and meanings; handlers/workers; hygienic-sanitary quality; evaluation and monitoring; physical-functional planning, and rest-intake. The presented data provide elements that can be adapted in future evaluations and describe the panorama of academic production in this area.

Perceived Characteristics of the Built Neighborhood Environment and Negative Self-Rated Health in Brazilian Community-Dwelling Older Adults

INTRODUCTION

Research indicates that self-rated health is associated with worse health outcomes in older adults. Thus, it is important to assess the association between built neighborhoods and self-rated health to establish strategies to improve the quality of life in the older adult population.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between the perceived characteristics of the built neighborhood and the negative self-rated health in Brazilian community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study for finite random samples was performed with older adults who used the municipal public health service. The outcome was negative self-rated health using the question "How do you perceive your health?" The regular, bad, and very bad responses were grouped as negative self-perception. The exposure variables were the perceived characteristics of the built neighborhood, which was evaluated by the adapted version of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale.

RESULTS

A total of 308 older adults were analyzed. Living close to food establishments (OR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.25;0.85), fitness/bodybuilding gyms and/or clubs (OR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.28;0.93), and safety to walk during the day (OR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.16;0.87) and night (OR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.26;0.84) were protective against negative self-rated health.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, living in neighborhoods with better characteristics was less associated with negative self-rated health, demonstrating the importance of promoting strategies to improve the neighborhood infrastructure and this population's perception of health.

Clima familiar e autopercepção de saúde de idosos(as)

Investigou-se a coesão, o apoio, a hierarquia e o conflito relativos ao clima familiar percebido por idosos em sua relação com a autopercepção de saúde. Participaram 134 idosos do Recôncavo Baiano, a maioria composta por negros e mulheres, entrevistados em domicílio, utilizando-se Questionário de doenças e de sinais e sintomas autorrelatados, Questionário de autoavaliação de saúde e o Inventário do Clima Familiar. Foram feitas análises estatísticas descritivas e bivariadas. Os dados desta pesquisa mostraram que a maioria dos idosos fez uma avaliação mais negativa do clima familiar e da autopercepção atual da saúde; maior apoio e coesão e menor hierarquia familiar estão associadas a uma melhor saúde percebida. Os dados podem ajudar a compreender como o clima familiar do idoso pode impactar na saúde subjetiva e como a deterioração da saúde pode moldar os relacionamentos na família bem como podem colaborar com intervenções clínicas e sociais.

Government-subsidized restaurants in Brazil: an evaluation within the framework of food and nutrition security

ABSTRACT Objective The objective was to evaluate government-subsidized restaurants in southern Brazil according to current regulations and the National Food and Nutrition Security Policy. Methods An evaluation matrix was developed on the basis of a literature review, logic model, immersion in a government-subsidized restaurant, and workshops with experts in the field. The Government-Subsidized Restaurant Evaluation Matrix contemplates two dimensions: Political/Organizational, composed of the subdimensions Administration, Structure, and Target Groups; and Technical/Operational, composed of the subdimensions Meal Quality, Food and Nutrition Education, and Extended Social Support. Subdimensions comprised 24 indicators. Data were gathered through an online survey of the 35 government-subsidized restaurants operating in southern Brazil. Results Of the 35 government-subsidized restaurants in southern Brazil, 86% (n=30) participated in the study. Meal Quality and Administration received the highest score in 73% and 60% of government-subsidized restaurants, respectively, whereas Food and Nutrition Education and Extended Social Support received the lowest score in 47% and 40%, respectively. Conclusion Advances are needed in the understanding of government-subsidized restaurants as public facilities for ensuring food and nutrition security and the human right to adequate food.